The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Catharanthus plant, which is hereinafter referred to by the name of ‘Suncatha 2243’.
Catharanthus roseus, which is also known as Vinca rosea, is a very popular plant that is used for flower bedding and potting in the summer and autumn season.
The purpose of this invention is to obtain a new Catharanthus cultivar having vigorous, upright plant characteristics, abundant branching, especially basally branching, developed from the base of the plant throughout the growing season, great profusion of single, red-pink flowers, the whole bush remaining in bloom for a considerable period of time and irregularly incised petals, shaped of hastate, incurvated.
The new Catharanthus plant was originated from a cross-pollination of the female parent ‘MC21-52’ and the male parent ‘MC21-5’. The female parent ‘MC21-52’ (unpatented) used in the crossing of ‘Suncatha 2243’ is a strain of applicant's breeding lines (i.e., proprietary Catharanthus roseus selection), having pink petals, and the male parent ‘MC21-5’ (unpatented) used in the crossing of ‘Suncatha 2243’ is a strain of applicant's breeding lines (i.e., proprietary Catharanthus roseus selection), having deep purple petals. The cross-pollination was conducted in August, 2011 at Yame-gun, Fukuoka, Japan.
In February 2012, the seedlings obtained by the crossing were planted in field, and some seedlings were selected in view of growth habit, flower size and color thereof. In August 2012, the stem tip culturing was carried out, and then the propagation was started.
In July 2013, the cultivation of the seedlings was repeated. The botanical characteristics of that plant were then examined, using similar varieties ‘Daiichi-MC21-41’ and ‘Daiichi-MC21-25’ for comparison. As a result, it was concluded that this Catharanthus plant is distinguishable from any other variety, whose existence is currently known, and is uniform and stable in its characteristics.
The new variety of Catharanthus roseus plant is named ‘Suncatha 2243’.